The Ozpin Years
by SerapeWrensFolk
Summary: The most influential generations were always the ones filled with great beauty and tragedy. Oz knew that better than anyone, because he had lived through just a generation. He was only lucky he had the best partner in the world watching his back. AU as of Burning the Candle, story focuses on Ozpin's time at Beacon as leader of team OQRS alongside his partner, Summer Rose.
1. Landing Strategy

"So… did you give out parachutes?"

"No. You will be using your own landing strategy."

"Ah. I see… So, what exactly is a landing strate-GEEEEEEEE!"

Professor Ozpin took a small sip from his mug as he observed the new minds he had been tasked with molding sail through the air with exuberance. Today was a good morning. One that would lead to new journeys he could aid. New paths he could watch over. His eyes shifted to the last two students who had been launched. The girl in the red hood, who he'd chosen to arrive early. The boy with such little confidence, who he allowed in because he saw something in the blond no one else seemed to. They were his gambles. His acts of desperation to stack the deck before trying times arrived. Their futures were malleable at this point, but the impact the would have on the world was an inevitability.

The girl zoomed through the air with little flash. She wasn't so much enjoying it, but she had no fear. Possibility of death was not something that phased her. That made her dangerous and unpredictable. But, she had a soul pure and good. She would always use that lack of fear to help others. That was her way.

The boy flailed helplessly as he flew, unsure of what to do in order to survive. Unaware he had all the power he needed to accomplish such a task a thousand times over. He had yet to find his warrior's spirit. All he knew was the role he was expected to fill. The role he always thought he was too small for. Time would prove to him he wasn't.

So many others flew with them. Warriors and scholars all looking to take their place in the world. The athlete bound by honor and compassion, the stoic prodigy, the free spirit who defied logic, the heiress who wished to defy her progeny, the young outlaw looking for redemption and full of secrets, the guiding sibling with a temper not born natural, and all the others. Yes, this was shaping up to be a very interesting generation of hunters, full of possibility and hope. But with so much destiny colliding, it would hardly be a simple series of events. Things would be trying and hurts would be dealt inevitably. Ozpin knew. He'd been in such a time, once.

_**Many Years Ago…**_

Oz winced as he brushed off his dark green peacoat, groaning as he noted the tears that had recently formed in the thick fabric. His landing strategy hadn't gone exactly as he had hoped and he had fallen straight through a rather thick patch of canopy on his way down.

"Not the best start to my year…" he muttered as he activated his aura to heal the nicks and bruises that had resulted from his crash. "...Then again, I'm not dead. That's something, at least."

His wounds healed, the green-clad teen began debating on his next course of action. His objectives were deceptively simple. Find a partner, find the relic, hold your ground. How he would accomplish any of this still had him rather nervous. He had no doubt he could navigate the forest and handle any grimm who got in his way. He was a top notch student; a prodigy in study and a clever combatant. However, in the social spectrum, he was a fish trying to climb a tree. People weren't in his area of expertise and he'd often prefered books and gizmos to social interaction because of that.

How was someone like him supposed to find a suitable partner by simple chance? Would their combat abilities complement each other? Would this person have skills he didn't? Would they be able to bond over similar penchants for caffeine and cookies? Would his partner even like him? Or would they just play along because they had no choice? So many questions swirled around in his mind and he had to put a hand to his forehead in an attempt to quiet the onslaught of uncertainty. When his nerves calmed, Oz decided he might as well keep moving, anyway. A rolling stone gathered no moss, after all, and even if he loved the color green, he didn't love it that much.

The huntsman in training surveyed his options and decided on heading East, where there seemed to be some kind of commotion. He took a walking pace, no sense in wasting his energy by running. He could already sense the dangers the forest presented. They were numerous and ranged from mildly annoying to potentially lethal. If he let his guard down, he'd be dead.

A half hour later, Oz noticed movement in the bushes to his left. He decided now was a good time for a break and parked himself on a log, setting his weapon in his lap. His weapon appeared very unbecoming. Truly, it looked like a simple walking can. His father would joke Oz chose it to look stylish for girls. In truth, a very sharp, very sturdy blade was hidden past the handle. That was just the first trick it contained.

He remained still, turning his head away from the bushes and towards something else. Almost immediately, a beowolf emerged, lunging at him with the hellish ferocity its kind was known for. Its claws only touched bark, as Oz made a wide pivot to flank the beast, simultaneously drawing his blade and stabbing it through the throat. The creature of grimm bled out silently as the huntsman in training removed his sword and flung the blood off.

Just as he replace the blade in his sheath, he noticed the horde that had begun to surround him. _I count at least six, _his strategic mind activated as he observed the situation. _Their advantage: numbers, position. My advantage: surprise. _The boy smirked lightly as he grasped the handle of his cane again, rotating the hidden dial just a touch. The beowolves converged on his position quickly. Oz drew his sword on the first monster to reach him, a red cloud trailing from his blade. The steel struck the beast's jaw, giving it a nice wide grin. He leapt back before the wolf could strike back in pain, removing another one's left foreleg, causing it to tumble. He vaulted over the creature, slashing its hind legs as he moved, then raising his sheath to block the swipe of another wolf trying to flank his left side. Before the wolf could overpower him, Oz swung his blade up and stabbed the beast in the chest a few times before rotating to let it stumble forward.

He looked up to see three unscathed beowolves ready to charge him. _Stick to the plan. Tag and move. _They sprinted towards each other simultaneously. Just before they collided, Oz planted his sheath in the ground, using it like a pole vault. He cleared over the first one, hitting it with a shallow swipe before aiming a horizontal slash at the two behind it. He was only able to strike one before being thrown back by the swipe of the other's claws. He felt pain shoot through his body as his back made hard impact with a tree trunk and he slumped to a sitting position. He recovered just in time to roll out of the path of the monster's jaws as they sunk into the bark. He eyed the faint wisps of red hanging it the air. _Now or never._ Oz sheathed his blade with force, creating a spark the ignited the dust trail he'd just put into the air. It took less than two seconds until the monsters he fought were encased in the hellish inferno of his design. It took another ten before the flames started to die down.

The boy took a deep breath as he got to his feet. That pack was more organized than he had been expecting. Still, his crowd control tactic had been successful. Looking over the area, he counted six charred corpses, all motionless. _Wait a minute… _Oz's eyes widened as the revelation dawned on him. Behind him, he could hear light growling and the rustling of scorched grass.

Oz tried to unsheath his sword, but the pain shot through his body, sending him stumbling to his knees. This was bad. He was dead. He was so dead. He heard the beast lumbering towards him slowly, like it was trying to build the suspense. He saw the shadow of the grimm looming over him. The shadow raised its claw, ready to strike. This was it. This was the end.

Oz braced himself for his coup de grace. Just before it connected, a gunshot sounded off. The wolf was still for a second, then fell. Dead before it hit the ground. Oz turned around slowly and searched the forest for his savior. Several yards away stood a figure hooded and cloaked in white. The only part of their body visible was a slender arm holding what looked to be a long barreled revolver with a bladed grip. The gun was polished silver and the blade was pearl like. It looked almost too elegant for combat. Just like its wielder.

The figure swept back their cloak to holster the weapon. The body exposed was clothed in light grey, lined with red. From what Oz could see, the one who saved him was female. She walked towards him slowly, not saying a word. The silver haired boy did all he could to stand, but found himself a little hunched from the pain.

The girl in white stopped in front of him and touched his shoulder lightly, glowing as she did. He could feel his aches being reduced to bearable levels. "Thank you," he muttered sheepishly, looking away in embarrassment. "I'm sure I could've handled him myself, though."

A small giggle crept out from under the hood. "I get how you boys like to act tough and all, but do you really think the first thing you say to a person should be a lie?"

Oz still refused to look up but nodded slightly. "I guess not…"

Another giggle came from the hood. "Let's start over, then. My name's Summer."

The green clad boy finally brought his gaze upward as the girl began to draw back her hood. Her skin was pale to the point it almost glowed. Her hair was a deep black. It appeared to be long, too, though most of it was pulled back into a braid that slipped under the cloak. She had a playful smirk on her lips, clearly finding something endearing about Oz's demeanor.

"So, what are you gonna say to your new partner?" She asked as their gazes locked. Oz felt his heart speed up. He had no idea what to do, what words to use. He decided to go with the first thing that came to mind.

"You… have silver eyes."


	2. First Impressions

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are we there y-" 

"Summer, I realize with your outfit any grimm within five miles could see us, but that doesn't mean they need to be able to hear us too," the pair had been walking side by side through the forest for quite some time. They had yet to arrive at the relics' location and the girl in white was making her boredom very apparent.

Summer huffed. "My cloak's not that bright…" she muttered indignantly.

Her partner scoffed at the obvious lie. "You're practically glowing. I realize we're supposed to be 'beacons of safety' to the world, but tactical wear isn't a sin."

"You're one to talk about tactical. You're not exactly dressed for the outdoors, Oz."

"What are you talking about? My coat practically matches the flora. I could blend right into that bush if I wanted."

"_Uhuh,_" her voice was dripping with sarcasm. "And your pants? Your shoes? I didn't realize brown slacks and _slip-on loafers_ were necessary for jungle warfare. And don't even get me started on that hair. Exactly how much gel does that style require?"

Oz tensed a little as the girl reached up and rubbed one of his spikes between her fingers. "None…" he murmured, swatting her hand away, softly. "It's just… like that. My mother said I came into this world with lightning in my brain," _She always said that's why I was so goofy, _he finished in his head. "Besides, I'm not the one wearing a skirt. Care to explain how that's more practical than my slacks?"

"Simple. It distracts any boys I'm fighting," she gave him a smirk. "They always look in the wrong place when I do flip."

The boy's face flashed scarlet and he looked away, quickly. "O-oh…" Any confidence he had about interacting with his partner evaporated under the heat of his blush. "I, uh, didn't think of that."

Summer's grin widened in amusement. "You sure about that, Ozzy?" she sidled closer to her companion, disregarding silly notions like personal space. "You're a young man. It's perfectly natural."

Oz shuffled slightly away from her, startled at how uncomfortable the conversation had just become. "Do you really think now is the time for this? We're supposed to stay vigilant around here."

The cloaked imp pouted. "Aw, come on, I'm just teasing. Besides, what's the worst that could happen?" It wasn't three seconds before a peculiar sound reached their ears.

They leapt apart as a whirling mass of sharpened metal sped towards their former location. Oz's eyes darted around the direction the weapon was looping back to. In his peripherals, he noticed what seemed to be black feathers swirling around. He spun around as fast as he could, throwing his cane up and moving to draw his weapon. He was only able to bare a quarter of his sword before it locked with a massive, toothed blade. As the power struggle began, the lightning minded youth surveyed his opponent. He was pale, almost sickly so. His build was short and stocky, but there wasn't too much bulk. He wore a sleeveless, black long coat. It was nehru, three tailed, with a feather print near the end of each tail. His hair was black. It had a tint of blue to it, but his scalp was so dark it was almost impossible to tell. The most peculiar thing was his eyes, or rather, how his eyes were obscured by a pair of opaque, round lensed spectacles.

This boy's weapon was every bit as exotic as he was. An ebony scythe of gargantuan proportion, teeth lining the blade. There was some kind of engine built into it. Probably dust powered. They stared each other down for a few more seconds before the wannabe reaper broke the silence. "Hm. Seems more an accessory than a weapon," he nodded to the instrument in Oz's hands. "You sure you can even fight with that?"

"I'm not surprised you'd say that. Judging by that monstrosity you're holding, I'd say you're one of those people who doesn't understand the concept of subtlety," Oz shot back with a smirk.

The boy opposite to him sneered in response. "You dare call Raven Eclipse a monstrosity?" he twisted the grip and the scythe roared to life. The teeth on the blade began moving in a method much resembling a chainsaw. The motion broke their lock immediately, knocking the weapon out of Oz's hands and into a tree trunk, forcing him leap back and retrieve it. "She is the singular perfection in this world. Elegance unrivaled. She is beauty," the boy took a swipe at Oz, forcing him to evade. The tree he was standing in front of was less lucky; cut cleanly at an almost perfect 180 degree angle. The cut was so fast the tree had not even fallen.

Oz attempted a counter attack with his blade, sending several quick thrusts towards the other boy's exposed flank. He didn't expect each one to be parried by the gigantic scythe blade with utmost grace. It should've been impossible to wield that glorified gardening tool with such speed and precision. The concept of even using a scythe as a combat weapon was absurdly dangerous. Oz had heard horror stories of what happened to inexperienced users on the battlefield. Adepts were very sparse simply because wielders rarely lived long enough to become so skilled.

As Oz's defences were hammered away at, his mind raced, trying to come up with a counter strategy. He was drawing a blank. This situation was simply too odd. Just as his guard was broken again, he was saved by a thread of holy light altering his opponent's weapon path. Looking to his side, he saw Summer had drawn her weapon and chosen her time to strike. The gun in her hands looked like salvation in material form. A large revolver with a bladed pearl grip. It had three barrels, each a different shape and length. Currently, the medium, thinnest barrel was smoking slightly having just fired the compact beam that had interrupted the other boy's attack.

Oz smirked. Two on one seemed like much better odds. They took the offensive, forcing their hostile backwards with quick jabs and shots. Just as they were about to disrupt his footing, the same sound they'd heard before reached Oz's ears. He turned his head and saw the same whirling mass of metal from before sailing in his partner's direction. Before it could make impact, he thrust his staff into the spinning projectile, catching it at its hollow center. Oz redirected its kinetic force in a half circle and hurled it into the bisected tree. The force of the weapon embedding itself was enough to slide the great mass of wood off its stump and tumbling to the ground, making the earth shake. Now that the weapon was still, Oz could properly observe it. There were four curved blades, evenly spaced around a steel ring, each blade about two and a half feet long. The boy recalled the name of this sort of weapon. _Shuriken. Usually, they're not this big, though._ A new figure emerged from the canopy and landed next to the shuriken.

Another boy, probably half a head taller than Oz. He had light brown, unruly hair under a strange, wide brimmed hat of a helmet with a divot near the front. He had gauntlets and greaves to match, all with a sort of dulled shine. He wore dark brown cargo pants and a matching vest over a tan long sleeved shirt. His chin was covered in rather pitiful teenage stubble and his eyes were a bright blue, with a strange sort twinkle to them. He looked towards Oz and grinned, not with any sinister intent, but with an odd jubilance. "No one's ever plucked Molino Inclanacian out of the air like that," he yanked the shuriken from its wooden prison with a quick tug, "I like you." He tossed his weapon upwards and the blades folded into one. As it fell, he caught it by the ring and took a sword stance with what was now his shortsword.

Oz pointed his sword forward, settling into a dueling stance, holding his sheath behind his back. They circled, sizing each other up. That mad gleam in the young knight's eyes increased for a fraction of a second and he sprung forward with impressive speed, closing the distance between himself and Oz in the blink of an eye. The silver haired youth sidestepped the first swipe, then parried the next. _My range is greater but his speed could easily make up for that._ Oz sidestepped again and took a swipe at the knight's left side, only to find his sword caught in a metal grip. _Aw hell… _Oz spun his cane out from behind his back to deflect the stranger's shortsword. His opponent's response was a press kick to Oz's chest, sending him flying and wrenching the sword from his grip. Oz, did a partial roll to reacquire his footing and slid to a stop.

_Great. Moves like snake, hits like an Ursa, _Oz groaned as he recovered his breath. The boy in front of him tossed Oz's sword into the air, letting it spin before catching it by the hilt. _Primary weapon *groan* stolen. Secondary weapon… _he adjusted the grip on his sheath, then turned a dial. A three inch blade emerged from the bottom.

Meanwhile, a heated battled was happening in the branches above. Summer had taken the defensive, leaping from bough to bough while firing short bursts of light are her adversary. "So, have you got a name?" she asked in between dodges. "I realize Oz and I should've asked earlier, I'll make sure to scold him for being so rude."

The boy chuckled as he planted his scythe into the side of a tree, using the chainsaw motion to spin towards her, feet first. "It's Qrow."

She crossed her arms and took the kick, propelling her to another tree. "Well, nice to meet you, Qrow," she responded with a false cheeriness. "Now, why don't you explain to me _why the hell you decided to attack us!_" she switched to the flat barrel, using a beam to sever the branch he was standing on.

Qrow leapt to another tree, embedding his scythe in it and using the weapon as a seat. "We got bored. Roce wanted to duel someone," he said in a matter of fact tone. He looked down to where their partners were clashing. 'Roce' clearly had the upper hand with his random fighting style possession of Oz's sword. "I'd say he's having fun. Not sure about your partner, though."

Summer's expression shifted from disbelief, to annoyance, to extreme anger. "We're in the middle of our initiation exam, in a forest teeming with grimm, and you decide you want to test out everyones' skills _now?!"_ she took aim at the pair below and fired a single shot. At ground level, both Oz and Roce immediately halted their battle as Roce's helmet flew off his skull. "Oz, we're leaving."

Oz looked up at his partner, finding her with a look on her face that reminded him of his mother whenever he did something stupid. "Wha-but… he's got my sword…" he stated half-heartedly. He winced when she dropped down and stalked towards them.

The seething girl stopped right behind Roce, almost breathing down his neck. _"Give him his sword back. Now." _ This sense of foreboding was new to Roce. He felt the need to tread lightly. That was very strange for him. _"Well? I'm waiting." _The blade was presented to Oz in a way both formal and fast. Oz took it without a word.

"Apologies, fair maiden," Roce stated with utmost sincerity and a slight quiver in his voice. "I just wanted-"

"I'm going to do you a favor and pretend you didn't just call me maiden. Now, Oz and I," she snatched her partner by the collar of his coat, "are going to keep searching for the relics. It would be a good idea if you didn't follow us. If you do," Summer whipped around with her revolver and put a hole through each tale of his coat. "Are we clear?"

No one present had anything to say about the arrangement, and Summer began dragging Oz back in the direction they were originally heading. Right then, all she could think was how she would throttle those two if she saw them again. _How can boys be that dumb? Sure, I like a good challenge too, but this is hardly the time for it. My prayers go out to whoever their teammates end up being. _

It wouldn't be until later that she'd truly realize the irony of those thoughts.


	3. Fables

"So…"

"Don't want to talk about it, Oz."

"You sure? Because-"

"_Yes._ I'm very sure."

"It's just, I swear I saw your eyes glow for-"

"Oz!"

"Right. Sorry."

The pair had resumed their trek for some time, finding no confrontation since their brief skirmish with the boys who were apparently dueling for 'fun'. Whether this was from sheer luck or that Summer's aura seemed to be sending a clear signal to everything in a hundred yards to stay away was anyone's guess. Oz was betting on the latter, though. Currently, he was wondering exactly what he'd gotten into, having this strange girl for a partner. Not that he didn't like her, of course. She was intriguing and skillful and, to his surprise, they got along quite well. Still, having just received a taste of the temper she held, he was a little frightened for what the next four years had in store for him. Still, he was impressed. Her aura was enormous, dwarfing his below average stores easily, and she had already shown adept use with it when she healed him. Given time, Oz knew he could create a few new gadgets to take advantage of her raw power.

The silence went on for another few minutes until Oz could sense a slight drop in his partner's aura output. _Good, I think she's calmed down a bit._ "So… What do you think the relics are going to be?"

Summer thought for a moment, truly considering the question. "I bet they're antique weapons, once wielded by legendary hunters. Ooh, or maybe fossilized grimm bones. Or potions and crumpets that make us grow bigger or smaller," Oz raised his eyebrow at the last one," What? It could happen. What do you think they are, mister smart pants?"

"Hm… I don't know. Maybe gold and black chess pieces on marble podiums?"

Summer barely suppressed a snicker at the theory. "Really? That sounds kind of lame."

"What? How is that lame? Chess is cool…"

"For grumpy old men, maybe. There's so much sitting around and waiting involved. It's just so boring. Seriously, Oz? Why would you choose a chess set when you could have weapons?"

"Well, would you trust those guys from before with a former huntsman's treasured lance?"

"…Touché."

"Exactly… You know after this is over I'm going to turn you into a chess lover, right?"

"Yeah, you just go ahead and try, Oz. I'm sure someone will give you a medal for keeping me still for that long."

As the pair continued their playful banter, neither of them took notice of the pair of very large, very round, very red eyes floating just behind them.

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"Roce, I say we avoid those two from now on. The girl is insane and the guy is weak. No doubt they'd attract a lot of trouble. Not that I don't mind a little conflict now and again," Qrow fingered the holes in his coat tails with distaste, "My mom would flip if she saw these."

Rocinante Cervantes, meanwhile, was surveying the rosebush he had just found, looking for the perfect bloom. A knight had to have a softer side, after all. His mentor had taught him that from the beginning. "They weren't so bad, Ser Branwen. What the green one lacked in strength he made up for in cleverness. I imagine he makes for an effective rogue. Ah, there you are," he drew his blade and made a precise cut a few inches under the bud of his choice. The rose was a beautiful blood red, its petals soft and moist. Using the length of stem he tucked the bloom into the button hole of his lapel. "And as for the maiden in white, I feel she had reason for her fury. In my excitement, I did not properly challenge either to duel. Had my mentor known I had stooped to a sneak attack at that moment, I would surely have been flogged."

Qrow bristled a little, but conceded. His very eccentric partner had a point. "I guess. I still don't like either of them."

The two took off at an angle just slightly away from the angry aura trace they could still sense. If nothing else, the girl's outburst had convinced them both to get serious and start searching for their objective.

"Too my shame, though, I did enjoy disarming the swordsman."

"Yeah, I saw that," Qrow chuckled. "That was awesome," he glanced sideways as he remembered catching a glimpse of that silver haired excuse for a warrior getting punted a good twenty yards. "Hey, what do you think the relics are gonna be?"

"Enchanted rings which when brought together close a gate opened by an evil sorcerer."

"…Okay, then."

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"-I'm just saying, if you've already got another blade and a bunch of dust in that cane, why not make the sheath into a gun, too?"

"You think I haven't tried? The firing mechanism was almost too bulky to fit and it would go off when I put too much weight on it," Oz cringed, remembering having to explain to his parents how he got such a deep gash in his forearm and why his sword was embedded in the ceiling. Not his proudest day.

"Heh. That's a shame. A gun can really come in handy in a pinch. Just take it from me and Arctic Bloom. Why duel them when you can score an easy kill from a hundr-" Summer's sentence was cut off abruptly as she snapped her head in a direction slightly deviating from their path. "Do you feel that?"

"Feel what?" Oz was confused. He couldn't sense anything. Usually his aura would alert him of immediate danger. Not even a twinge in the back of his head.

"It feels like… ringing," she seemed in a slight daze. "It's like I don't hear it, but I do…" she drew up her hood and started moving toward whatever she was sensing. Oz drew his blade, keeping a few steps behind his partner but ready to leap up front if he had to. She appeared in a daze, following some pull he couldn't feel.

A few minutes later, they came across some light foliage blocking their path. Summer pushed past it, still not speaking. Her partner followed behind her. When he crossed the threshold, his eyes widened. In front of them, about thirty yards away, was a curved, stone table. It was large, clearly fixed to its location. On top of the smooth bedrock was a score of figurines. Upon closer inspection, Oz could see each one was unique. "What are these?" Summer didn't respond as she absently scanned the collection. The figures were all brass and the details were amazing. Oz eyed a burly looking man holding a large axe over his shoulder, a helmet with oxen horns tucked under his other arm. "Wait a minute… These are-"

"Huntsmen of fable," Summer responded, sounding a mile away. "Our oldest. Our greatest."

She was right. These were likenesses of heroes who inspired the world, inspired them. Every figure held a different story-no. Story was the wrong word. Each held an epic. Good vs Evil and the fate of the world. Realizing that made the area feel like hallowed ground. "Are these the relics? Which one do we take?" Summer's hands hovered over the miniaturized legends. She snatched one figure, then a second. They were both cloaked men. The one in her left wore an eye patch and carried a tome. The one in her right had a quarter staff folded under his bicep and curved, pointed ears, like a goblin. The pair seemed familiar to Oz. He couldn't place his finger on it, though. "I thought we were only supposed to take one."

"No. We need both. I don't know why but we do."

Oz scanned his partner's face. She still had that vacant expression, "Summer, are you okay? You don't seem all here," he pried one of the statues from her hand with a little struggle and observed it more closely, trying to figure out what made it so magnetic to his hooded ally. He turned it over to inspect the bottom of the base. _Nothing. No inscription, no rune, no- _his eyes widened when two glinting red orbs appeared in the mirror sheen of the brass. He turned to Summer and tackled her right as the stone table was destroyed by… something. Oz wasn't really sure what had just shattered that five hundred pounds of cobble, mostly because it didn't seem to exist. There was a pair of scarlet eyes, each one about the size of his head. That was it. The rapidly settling dust showed the outline of legs and a tail, but it was difficult to make anything else out. "Okay, yeah. We'll just take both of them," Oz clicked the hidden dial on his cane and drew his blade in a sweeping motion. Instead of dust, a potent mix of his special blinding powder blew out in a cloud, flying directly into the monster's eyes. The eyes vanished under invisible lids, but a shrill screech of pain was enough to assure Oz it was still there. "We got what we came for! Time for us to leave!" Summer was out of her daze immediately and they took off in the first direction they could. _Find a partner, check. Find the relic, double check. Hold your ground… Yeah… Let's see where that goes._

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"This is getting ridiculous," Qrow groaned as he and Roce pushed through yet another set of bushes and into an open clearing. "You'd think they'd give us some indication as to where these relics are supposed to be. It's not like _all _of us are psychic."

"All part of the test, I suppose, Ser Long," Rocinante responded as he scanned the area for any landmarks. Mostly, it was just trees. Lots of trees. "I'll admit, though. The size of this forest is quite-AACK!" he let out a startled cry when a shriek of inhuman pain tore through the air. Both warriors snapped their heads to the general location of the sound. As beast slayers in training, they knew how to gauge noises made by animals. Whatever made that noise was in a large amount of pain. That meant it was probably five times more dangerous than usual. Not something a sane person would confront. That being said, they were hardly sane. "Perhaps someone is in need of heroics," Roce grinned as he wound up his spring into action.

Qrow was just as excited, though he felt the need to act cool. "About time something started happening," he smirked as he caught sight of movement among a patch of trees on the other side of the clearing. He could feel an itch on his back where his folded up scythe lay. Eclipse was hungry for a challenge, he could sense it. His hand twitched, ready to draw in an instant. Not yet, though. He couldn't get ahead of himself. The trees continued to rustle, closer and closer to the clearing. There was the tell tale crackle of gunfire and a few explosions to go with it. A tree began collapsing after a beam of light appeared for a second. "Wait a minute…" that light was awfully familiar. The shaking stopped for a second, just near the edge of the clearing. Two figures sprung from foliage, one was blindingly white while the other almost blended into the lush green, were it not for the silver topping him. Qrow's palm met his forehead with force, "Of course it's those two." The trees shook once again and the white figure opened fire into the shrouded space. Both figures then dove out of the way when… nothing leapt out. "Wait, what?" The trees had buckled as though pushed, but he didn't actually see the thing that did it. Qrow's confused look slowly turned into an intrigued one. "Looks like you found something interesting," he blinked when a golden shine caught his eyes. The gothic warrior's lips formed a new grin, nearly ear to ear. "Let's go check it out, Roce."

"Why does everything want to kill us?!" Summer shouted as she fired wildly at where she hoped the terrifying abomination still was. She and Oz were back to back, eyes and ears open for any sign of their opponent.

"If I knew the answer to that question I wouldn't be trying to get into Beacon!" Oz shouted back. His mind was racing, trying to piece together a strategy with what was left of his arsenal and Summer's abilities. So far, it seemed the two of them were insufficient for such a battle. Blinding the creature felt like a mistake in hindsight. Those eyes were the only thing they could see to acquire its position. "Do you think we've made it bleed, yet?"

"I wish," the young huntress groaned through her teeth. "I'm pretty sure its insides are visible. We'd see something if we hurt it." There was a sudden sound of thundering footfalls and Summer just barely noticed the grass flattening in her peripherals before she grabbed her partner and dove out of the way. It only helped so well as something still made impact and flung the pair a good thirty yards into open ground. "Ugh… this is no fun…" She heard the telltale sound of the charging beast again and struggled to stand up in time. The sound got closer and she knew she wouldn't be able to react fast enough. It looked like initiation would be the end of the road for her.

Just then, another familiar sound reached their ears. The whoosh of a whirling mass of sharp sailing on the breeze. A new shriek of pain erupted from the creature and the charging noises stopped. Oz could see half the fuma shuriken. It hovered in the air as its edges dripped with an unholy scarlet. There was a thin metal wire attached to the ring, leading back to a scraggly knight in training yanking with all his might to keep the unseen beast at bay. Oz could swear he heard a murder of crows when he noticed the dark huntsman appear beside him, looking casual and cocky.

"Looks like you could use an ally. We could oblige," he said with a smirk on his face. "Of course, only the first save's free. We do need to thrive in this initiation, after all."

Summer recovered from her shock and pieced together what was being asked. "Oh you have got to be kidding me. We shouldn't have to give you anything. At the least, you owe us for starting that fight, earlier."

"And you damaged something very dear to me during that fight. My mother made me this coat, you know? It took her months to do. Besides, it's not like we're asking for much. Just your relic," he nodded to the brass figure under Oz's coat.

Oz drew the miniature legend from its resting place in his pocket. "You want this?"

"Yeah. That's the one. Gotta pass this test, after all. I'd hurry, too. Roce is probably getting tired."

"And this is all you want?"

"Sure. I mean, it'll inconvenience you a lot, so that's sort of a bonus, but-"

"Done," Oz tossed Qrow the figure so quickly he almost fumbled when he caught it.

"Wow. That was faster than I expected."

"Not like we have many options," everyone jumped out of the way when Rocinante's weapon was finally torn from the monster's flesh and it resumed its charge. "Now, I need you to buy me some time with that thing and find a way to make it more visible while I get something ready. Think you can do that?"

Qrow's smirk looked almost psychotic. "With style, oh great commander," he gave a mock salute and drew his behemoth scythe with much enthusiasm. He sped to stand beside Summer, who was taking pot shots at the gaping wound that floated in midair, forcing the creature to stumble back in pain. Qrow kept note of the imprints it was making in the grass. Its balance was weakening. He leapt forward, ready to deliver the power blow to topple it, only for his weapon to be intercepted by an appendage he hadn't accounted for. "Stinger tail!" was all that left his mouth as he was flung backwards at a breakneck speed. He stuck his scythe into the ground as a makeshift brake and he tore up the earth for a good ten yards before stopping. He looked down at the mud on his blade with disgust, only for his eyebrows to pop out from under his spectacles when an epiphany struck.

Roce and Summer were awfully glad for the heads up on the stinger tail, seeing as they had to avoid getting skewered by it every other second. The first dodge was pure luck, but after it pierced the ground there was enough earth covering it to track its movements. The next time it came down, Roce looped his wire around its base and yanked it tight. Summer switched to the rectangular barrel and took aim, emitting a continuous beam of energy that acted like a blade. The creature screeched and shook in its pain as the laser bore through the base. Before it could cut all the way through, a jolt of strength ran through the monster's tail and it yanked Roce in, pivoting to skewer him with its hidden claws. Before it could, Qrow appeared out of nowhere, standing on the handle of his scythe while it tore through the earth with its teeth spinning rapidly like some extremely violent unicycle. Roce's wire was cut like thread and he altered his trajectory away from the beast's deadly embrace. Meanwhile, the chain-scythe was kicking up enough mud to coat half the creature. Qrow circled around and dismounted, finishing the job of severing the stinger with a powerful swipe before creating a larger gap between himself and the now partially visible hostile.

The sight felt unique. Patches of mud had made the general shape of the creature apparent, but there were several large patches uncovered. It was like a fragment. A new shriek emerged from the lizard looking jaws as it cracked open a single red eye, finally recovering from the blinding powder. It stared at the three warriors, now neatly assembled in front of it. They all readied their weapons, prepared to bring it down with their might. Out of nowhere, Oz sprung up from behind the creature, stabbing it through the eye with his blade, and then wrenching it out while dodging its claws coming at him. He stood in front of the beast with no fear. When the monster opened its jaws for another screech, he cut it off by throwing a bag of something the size of a baseball into its mouth, pinning it to the back of the thing's throat with his sword. Oz held up his hand slowly and snapped his fingers. The creature's head was gone in a flash as the explosive was detonated. The grimm demo man dusted himself off and observed his handiwork as it slouched to the ground. Even in death, the monster's hide stayed transparent. What a strange creature.

Oz turned around and faced the team that had just been assembled. As he did, he raised his sheath slightly above his head. A second later his sword came back into view, falling from the sky and dropping neatly into its scabbard. "Well. I'd say everything went better than expected."

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"Qrow Branwen, Oswald Ozpin, Rocinante Cervantes, and Summer Rose. You four collected the figures of legendary huntsmen Goblin and One-Eye. From this day forward, you will work together as… Team OQRS, led by Oswald Ozpin."

"_Team Accurse? That's hardly a name that brings valiant warriors to mind. It sounds like we'd bring about destruction wherever we go."_

"_Well, we did meet by fighting. Maybe the headmaster is trying to tell us something."_

"_Dammit, Ozpin, if I'd known you had another relic I would've held out for more."_

"_Exactly why I didn't tell you, Qrow."_

"_Just great. I get swindled and I have to spend the next four years led by you. The way this night's going I'll get food poisoning from the feast. I could've gotten you to fix my coat…"_

"_Too little too late, bird boy."_

"_Don't call me that, whitey."_

"Ahem," the headmaster cleared his throat and the newly formed OQRS snapped to attention, all of them looking flustered. The headmaster sighed and dismissed them. They were going to be a handful. He could already tell.


	4. Points of Contention

_"Target in sight. I've got a clear view."_

_ "Excellent, Gale. Take aim and wait for my signal to fire. Let's try and do this clean. Gump, how are things on your end?"_

_ "Covering the rear flank in case any of them attempt escape. Ready and alert, Ser."_

_ "Good. Scarecrow, how about you?"_

_ "…"_

_ "Scarecrow, I repeat. What is your status?"_

_ "…"_

_ "Uh… Wizard, we might have a problem."_

_ "…What sort of problem, Gale?"_

"QUOTH APOGEE!" a booming voice rang across the mountainside, so loud one might think the sound alone had been the cause of the great rumbling which followed soon after.

Team Commander Wizard (aka Oz), on the other hand, knew what had really just happened. Letting out a sigh, he slowly massaged his temples with his left hand before surveying the quasi-explosion that was once a Nevermore nest. The mission had been simple. A team of upperclassmen had recently slain the parents. Well, parents weren't quite the correct term. As far as any expert could tell, Grimm did not breed. However, they had life cycles just like any other creature and a pack mentality which led to the protection of their smaller kinds. Regardless, just leaving the nest alone was too much of a risk, so OQRS was sent in to clean it out. Oz had prayed this would go off without a hitch. The machinations of his heavy hitter succeeded in dashing such hopes.

"Of course he did," the green teen whispered before reactivating his mike. _"Gale, keep Scarecrow covered. Don't want him getting eaten in the confusion. Gump, hold your position and pick off any stragglers if they try to escape. With any luck we can still-" _Oz was cut off abruptly by a thunderous crack followed by an alarming amount of rumbling. His ally had just buried a gargantuan scythe blade into a rather sensitive spot where the nest met the rock face of the cliff it had been built on. The structural integrity of the nest was now crumbling by the second and a full on rockslide was being unleashed. _"Forget that last order, Roce. Get out of there! You've got trouble headed your way!"_

Meanwhile, expert combatant Qrow Branwen was having the most fun he'd had all week, hacking away at a particularly aggressive hatchling while in freefall. He hadn't really expected the little guy to put up such a good fight and was pleasantly surprised by the power struggle that ensued for a few seconds before briefly activating the sawing function on his weapon and shredding the beast in three quick swipes. Looking down, he could see the ground growing steadily closer and decided deceleration was a good idea. Raven Eclipse plunged into the stone once again and tore through the cliff, slowing his descent. Once his feet touched ground, he casually twirled his most treasured possession one-handed, bisecting a large rock dead set on crushing him. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and exhaled with a serene sense of calm. This calm was immediately derailed as he opened his eyes again to come face to face with his obviously enraged team leader.

"What the hell was that?" Oz locked eyes with Qrow, struggling to keep a lid on his fury. "Summer was supposed to take them out from a distance. The plan was-"

"The plan was boring, Oz," The dark reaper interjected. "This was fun. At least, as much fun as I can get from these kiddie missions. A bunch of Nevermore chicklets, really?" Qrow growled in frustration.

"Oh, you have a problem with our assignments, Branwen?" Oz shot back.

"As a matter of fact, I do. How come, despite being powerful students of the ever prestigious Beacon Academy, we get nothing but the easy stuff? Where's the challenge? How exactly are we supposed to test our skill with this remedial crap? Are you scared or something?" the last inquisition was said in a challenging tone.

Oz gave an internal sigh, not breaking his determined expression. Fights like this had been going on since the formation of the team a month and a half ago. Oz was doing his best to stay confident in his position, but it wasn't always easy. Even before he was named leader of OQRS, his stress level could fluctuate sporadically. With the new responsibilities and three distinct personalities to direct, he was finding himself dragged down further and further. Rocinante was loyal and hardworking, but his eccentricities often led to the other three chasing him down when he was randomly set off by any small thing, proclaiming a quest was afoot. Summer had been his main source of support; the one who would make sure he was eating and sleeping while he obsessed over the team. But even she could prove difficult when her not inconsiderable temper was triggered. His biggest obstacle, however, had been Qrow. The dark warrior had one thing on his mind at all times and that was combat. He lived for a good fight. He was bored out of his mind without a challenge to throw himself into. This made things trying at the best of times. He was like a double edged sword; capable of such great damage but often causing it on both sides of the conflict.

"What do you want from me, Qrow?"

Qrow snorted in exasperation, as though the answer was obvious. "That's pretty simple, Oz. I want a leader who has the guts to demand what his team deserves. If you can't do that, then maybe you sho-" any ranting was immediately cut off by a dark figure rushing the two from a few yards away. They both turned, drawing their weapons in the hope that they would be fast enough to do so before being attacked. In that split second before the thing reached them, a gunshot rang through the air and a smoking hole could be seen between the now dead hatchling's eyes.

A clearly annoyed girl's voice sounded off in Oz's earpiece. _"Boys, you're both pretty. Now, get out of the kill zone or I'll shoot you both in the kneecaps and use you as bait for anything else that might be roaming around the forest."_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The return to Beacon had been one of hostile silence. Oz and Qrow refused to say a word to one another while Summer and Roce were finding it extremely difficult to come up with some way to break the tension. The pair of non-pissed teens merely stayed quiet for the sake of caution, clearly nervous as to what might happen, this time. OQRS was already infamous for causing damage to school property and semi-psychotic tendencies. Their reputation would only be further scarred if the drop ship they were riding in was destroyed midflight thanks to an argument turned physical. Upon touching down, the team split off into two groups and took off in different directions; Oz and Summer heading to the library while Qrow and Roce went to the training room.

"What am I supposed to do, Summer?" Oz begged for an answer with nothing but a tired exasperation in his tone as the pair perused the shelves around them for class required text. "I want better missions, too. I really do. We need to finish _these _first, though. How else are we supposed to be credible if scythe boy keeps throwing around unnecessary force at every opportunity?"

The girl being questioned could only give a shrug as she selected a dusty and battered book on Grimm anatomy from the lowest shelf, "Sorry, Ozzy. I've got no leadership experience to share. I mean, Qrow's definitely being a jerk about it, but… I kind of agree with him."

"WHAT?!" the young man's outburst was immediately curtailed by a myriad of shushes from fellow library goers. "What do you mean you agree with him?" he ground out in a panicked whisper. Had he not been an adequate leader? Not an adequate partner? Oh no, Summer was regretting their partnership, now. She would probably seek out the headmaster to swap teams and-

"Oz, calm down. Your overreaction face is showing," his partner whispered gently as she put a hand on his shoulder, giving it a slight rub to bring him back into reality. "I'm not saying you're awful. You've been working hard to keep us at least semi-functional. But..." she felt herself hesitate as she mulled over how best to explain her point to her sometimes disturbingly fragile partner, "Qrow is a bit of a different breed from me or you-"

"Yeah, I kind of realized that," Oz cut in with a sarcastic mumble. He flinched when he received a flick on the forehead for his troubles.

"Interruption time is not now," Summer chastised with a whisper before softening her expression again when he remained silent. "My point is the tactics you use for keeping me loyal and obedient won't work on him. I look to you because you've always got at least three devious strategies forming for any given situation. Roce looks to you because he sees your goals as ultimately good and heroic. Qrow, on the other hand? He's a straight up warrior. He respects strength and dominance. You want him to do what you say; you need to prove your toughness."

The OQRS leader was still not convinced, "How am I even supposed to do that? I don't do tough, I do clever." This advice was feeling less viable to him. Strength was never his strong suit. A skilled warrior he definitely was, but his survival demanded he be conniving in battle. Direct conflict was more often than not suicide without something to stack the odds in his favor. His battle with Roce in the Emerald Forest was a good enough example of that.

"Well, that's up to you, Oz," Summer stated simply as very gave him an affectionate pat on the head, ignoring the look of annoyance he shot at her in response to that gesture. "Just try to stop caring about consequences for a tiny space of time. Maybe forget the politics and just reach out to take something you really want…"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Meanwhile, the school's combat training room was alive with the sound of steel scraping against steel. Though many trainees were present, all practicing with various styles and weapons, one particular pair stood out merely by the manner of which their weapons ringing against one another. The clashing seemed almost desperate on one side of the battle, the combatant clearly trying to expend his own rage through aggressive striking.

"Can you believe Oz?" the young scythe-wielder asked his sparring partner with aggravation in his voice as sickle and sword locked in a struggle for dominance. "Chastising me for disobeying a plan to kill chicklets… They're not even dangerous! I could've offed twice as many."

Their weapon lock broke as the rusty knight aimed a roundhouse at his partner's head, altering stance to block the counter when his grieves hit nothing but air. "That might be true. But, have you considered you were a greater source of danger than our objective? You or Ser Ozpin would have been injured by one of those nevermores had it not been for Lady Summer's timely intervention."

Qrow snorted as he parried quick thrust with Eclipse, "Oh please. That thing would've been dead before it knew what hit it," to this, Roce quirked an eyebrow at such a claim, back-stepping the wide swing his partner had telegraphed all too obviously. Usually, the darkened youth could easily match the rusted knight. Today, however, he was clearly too troubled by this conflict to do so, "…Okay, maybe it could've scratched me."

"Qrow, my friend," Roce started out slowly, closing the distance between the two with a powerful sidekick, predictably blocked by Eclipse's shaft, "Do you know how I wish to die?" he inquired as he followed up with a low punch aimed for his partner's solar plexus.

The dark reaper's eyes widened for an instant before raising his shin to deflect the punch. He gave a nervous chuckle before speaking, "Kinda grim subject, isn't it Roce?" he proceeded to twirl the scythe around his neck, forcing the Rocinante to duck down and jump backwards when he followed up with an overhead strike, "Personally, I never really wanted to give it too much thought. Figured I'd just stave it off for as long as I could until there was nothing more I could do."

In response, the odd knight stood tall and gave a mighty tug to the wire he had attached to Qrow's leg in their last exchange, something the scythe wielder had not taken any notice of. Qrow found himself flat on his back before he realized what had happened, defeat further cemented as his partner kicked away his precious weapon. Kneeling before his dear friend, Roce became a deathly sort of calm; something the reaper would have never expected his partner capable of. The act was disconcerting, to say the least. Seeing a being of jubilant disorder and adventure turn completely stone-faced hardly seemed natural. From his lips came a deadly whisper, "I wish to die protecting the innocent, defeating an opponent worthy of my steel and succumbing to my wounds with the knowledge I had a grand adventure and made the world a safer place by eliminating one last injustice from it," he leaned in just a bit closer and, though Qrow would never admit it, fear was coursing through the dark huntsman's veins at this display, "Do you know how I almost died, today?"

Qrow could not seem to muster any sort of retort. By all means, he was paralyzed in anticipation for what might happen next. There was something else, too. Something he had not realized was making his skin crawl. What was this feeling? Why did he feel so unhinged all of the sudden?

"I was nearly crushed by rocks sliding down a hill. Had it not been for our leader's timely warning, I could very well have been buried," the wire snaring Rocinante's prey was retracted promptly as the knight stood once again. The other students had ceased their fighting a while ago, shamelessly staring at the scene being presented to them, some nearing a cold sweat for reasons no one could quite place, "If things don't start changing in our alliance, I might be liable to pass before I've had a grand adventure. Or worse, I'll be forced to have that adventure without Ser Ozpin. Or Lady Summer. Or you, my friend. I don't want that."

There was a brief pause and Roce closed his eyes. When the shining blue orbs were visible once more, their typical gleam had returned and whatever dark spell holding the room captive had evaporated in an instant. The sense of renewed levity was both welcome and jarring, but Qrow decided it was best to just go with it as he accepted the hand offered to him and was pulled into a standing position.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

If there was one thing Oz was thinking of (besides how completely anxious and panicked he felt at that very second) it was how Beacon staff all had very odd taste in style and decorum. As he surveyed Headmaster Archimedes' office, waiting tenuously for the bearded man in the electric blue suit to acknowledge his presence and begin a dialogue, he felt like he was in a completely different dimension from the hallway he had entered from. The workspace, filled with an elegant oak desk and several shelves all packed with leather bound books and dust of all sorts, appeared to be utterly suspended in a black, star filled void, stretching on for miles with no clear end. Oz had no idea how such a room was possible; maybe a Dust infused paint gave it the illusion of endless flow, or maybe the space was merely a result of the headmaster's own immense power. It was no secret how Professor Archimedes was one of the mightiest beings on the planet, a master unmatched in the manipulation of Dust and a powerful swordsman capable of contending with fighters half his age. Surely, something so inconsequential as a pocket dimension was within his range of ability to create.

Oz just hoped he wouldn't be locked away in a similar creation for what he was about to request.

"Mr. Ozpin, what a pleasant surprise," the old man finally spoke up, halting Oz's ponderings and causing the young man's eyes to snap forward dutifully, "Tell me, how did your last mission fare? I know nevermore can be a bothersome sort of opponent."

The leader of OQRS straightened his posture unconsciously as he internally considered how best to inform his educator and employer on the near disaster that was their extermination assignment. "All targets in question were eliminated, sir," he settled on technical truth, the backbone of any political maneuver, "The nest has also been demolished, in case any other Grimm had any intention of using the structure for themselves."

A small chuckle rose from the old man's throat, clearly finding the statement amusing, "Yes, I suppose Mr. Branwen's impressive display of demolition did accomplish that."

Oh hell, he knew.

Oz did all he could to keep from sputtering as his mind raced to find an appropriate response that would keep him from serious consequences, "Sir, I-"

"Spare me the wordplay, young man. I assure you, I've heard it all," the curt interruption silenced the student instantly, causing him to bow his head in shame, "Now then, let's just get to the point. Why are you here?" only more silence followed, "Well, come now. Speak up."

The silver haired huntsman drew in a deep breath, expelling it just as calmly. _Forget the politics and just reach out to take something you really want, _he played back Summer's words to give himself a confidence boost. "I'm here to apply for a more challenging mission," he stated with a solid voice, no flaws in his pronunciation.

The stern look his headmaster was aiming at him was everything Oz had imagined. "That's a very interesting request, taking into account what your current track record looks like," the words fell from the headmaster's mouth rather blandly as Oz could feel a great tension in his throat building, "Tell me, why on earth would I oblige such a demand considering how poorly OQRS has been handling their missions, already?"

"With all due respect, sir, we've yet to completely fail our primary obj-"

"Only because the four of you are separately skilled enough for these matters to be trivial. Taking into account the accidents, property damage, complaints both civil and professional, and multitude of other problems that rise in your team's wake, clearly something is keeping these missions from what should be flawless execution. Would you happen to have any idea what that could be?"

"Y-yes, sir," Oz could barely swallow the lump forming in his throat in time to answer. "That's why I'm appealing for this mission, headmaster. I think it could fix the problems my team is experiencing."

To this, Archimedes raised a curious eyebrow. Suddenly, the boy was the level of interesting he had been expecting ever since the interview they'd had before the term had begun. Unfortunately, the only thing the young student's team had been succeeding in over the last term was causing havoc. Jokes about their appropriate naming had been more spreading into even the staff, and he had caught many of his own teachers sharing a laugh at the latest OQRS disaster. "Is that so?" he asked simply, gauging Oz's expression as best he could.

"Yes sir," this time the emerald huntsman spoke with more confidence. He'd managed to hook the headmaster's curiosity, a necessary factor in this ploy. Now, he just needed to lay out an offer the old man could not refuse, "Each of my team members requires a different display to seal their obedience and loyalty. For two of them, I have more or less succeeded. However, I require an act of strength and audacity for my last team mate. Obtaining this mission from the very headmaster will both provide proof of said audacity and allow us to exercise our full potential as a squad. Effectively, we eliminate two birds with one stone and greatly boost morale."

The old man behind the desk kept his expression neutral as he nodded slightly, "And if OQRS fails this mission?"

"Then we'll most likely be dead," Oz responded with a disturbingly matter of fact quality, "It will just prove we didn't have as much potential as was initially presumed and Beacon will be free of its most troublesome batch of freshmen, knowing they would have caused far more severe harm had they survived on the fringes. Success or failure, I would call this a win-win situation."

The headmaster's expression finally changed to mischievous grin as he gave out a hearty laugh, "Mr. Ozpin, I'd say you've captured my attention. Considering all I've heard…"


End file.
